Good Life

Went to The Good Life last night before seeing a show. The decor is inconsistent- kind of fancy wedding-like floral arrangements in the window and then shadow-boxes showcasing sneakers on the wall? The upstairs bar and dining area was nice enough. The downstairs 'vodka lounge' smelled like stagnant dishwater (I believe the kitchen is down there). However, the banquettes in the downstairs lounge are really great for a group. And there were plenty of TVs for the sports fans. The food was pretty good. I had the 'cubano' pannini (the carnitas and the pickles were really good) and the rosemary fries (which were purposely cooked to death, whereas I like my fries crispy on the outside and soft on the inside). My friend has the roasted chicken which was really good (crisp and flavorful on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside) with sweet potatoes (cooked just right) and some kind of barley rissotoish side (flavorful). For 2 entrees with 2 sodas, including tip is came to $45. The servers were very friendly (not in a 'I just want my tip' kind of way). With so many restaurants in Boston, I don't think I'll go back. But if I partook of alcoholic, vodka-based drinks and they cleared up the smell in the downstairs lounge it might be fun.